A tiny bird with a face full of flame, contrasting beautifully against a suit of emerald green.

MEET THE FLAME-FACED TANAGER

Photo Courtesy of Mike’s Birds / CC BY-SA 2.0

The flame-faced tanager (Tangara parzudakii), is a species of bird in the Thraupidae family. Sporting a bright orange forehead and cheeks which turn to yellow on the rest of the head. He also has a black throat and ear patch. The upperparts are black with a greenish-yellow shoulder patch and yellow and green-buff rump.

Photo Courtesy of Mike’s Birds / CC BY-SA 2.0

The chest and belly are also green, turning to rufous further down.

Female members of this species look similar to the males, though their heads tend to be not quite as bright.

Photo Courtesy of Mike’s Birds / CC BY-SA 2.0

This bird is found in parts of the Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, Venezeuala, and Peru.

Photo Courtesy of ryanacandee / CC BY-SA 2.0

These birds can be found at elevations of 1,200-2,500 m, within forested areas or at the edges of forested areas, or clearings.

Photo Courtesy of Ken Poulton / CC BY-SA 2.0

Like many other managers, this species eats a wide variety of fruits and insects. They tend to forage along horizontal, moss-coated branches, probing for insects.

Photo Courtesy of Mike’s Birds / CC BY-SA 2.0

Little is known about the breeding habits of Flame-faced tanager, other than they nest in open habitats such as pastures or forest edges. And that parents regularly probe the nesting material around their chicks. This is thought to help remove fleas and other parasites from the nest, protecting chicks.

Photo Courtesy of Bettina Arrigoni / CC BY 2.0

A common species throughout its range Flame-faced tanager is listed at Least Concern on the IUCN list.

Photo Courtesy of Ben Tavener / CC BY 2.0
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